Setting Up the Set-Tops - Poynter Online

Setting Up the Set-Tops, by Rob Runett - Poynter Online

Only the geekiest early adaptors would get all worked over the phrase “Internet protocol television delivery.” Of course, that means its perfect for The Chaser.

The translation into plain speak is a lot more tantalizing, at least as Microsoft has been explaining it for the past couple of years, admittedly with plenty of hyperbole. TV watching is better, better, BETTER! Content selection expands and navigation features get a boost. Multiple programs can be recorded simultaneously with a DVR (nice!) and, per Bill Gates’ oft-repeated objectives, the TV media experience now taps into video, music and photos found within a user’s home network.

The most recent IPTV development happened on Monday, when content distribution specialist [hardward maker] Scientific-Atlanta Inc. and Microsoft publicly announced a partnership to develop set-top boxes for what it deems “the growing worldwide demand for IPTV technology.” The team-up also gives support to Scientific-Atlanta’s advanced network known as “Project Lightspeed.”

Here’s how the company’s describe the benefits to media users and operators:

The new line of Scientific-Atlanta IP set-tops, which will be integrated with the Microsoft® TV IPTV Edition software platform, will support advanced codecs such as MPEG-4 Part 10/H.264 and VC-1 and will include standard-definition (SD), high-definition (HD), and whole home SD/HD digital video recorder (DVR) devices, as well as innovative gateway products that can serve an entire home with a single device. Additionally, these new set-tops will support a “no new wires” strategy for operators, which will enable IP video to be delivered over existing coax cable already installed in millions of homes. To help expedite the global implementation of IPTV services, country- or region-specific versions of the new Scientific-Atlanta set-tops will support U.S. or international standards.

The Chaser doesn’t profess to know the ins and outs of IPTV, but the release caught our attention because of the high-profile partners and the key phrases “high definition… whole home SD/HD digital video recorder (DVR) devices” and “no new wires.” For media users, high-def DVRs are becoming tech must-haves, and for operators, the ability to distribute IP video over pre-existing cable should mean a faster rollout.

No matter what language you speak, IPTV’s opportunities merit a place in discussions of future media consumption patterns and emerging technologies.


Media Man Australia writes:

The most successful convergent media models will have a high element of both mainstream press acceptance and high user interaction. My top picks for the companies and channels that are going to make it include:
Australian Broadcasting Corporation www.abc.net.au/broadband
The Interactive Channel www.tictv.com
Foxtel Digital / Sky News Active www.foxteldigital.com.au and www.skynews.com.au/onair/programs/programs.asp
Media Channel www.mediachannel.org
Banana TV www.bananatv.com
Open 4 Inspection www.open4inspection.tv
Fairfax http://media.smh.com.au

Technology enablers such as Stream X and Streamhouse TV will help make it happen.

I hope it’s acceptable to list these companies by name, as real examples are required.
Disclaimer: Greg Tingle, director of Media Man Australia, does have a commercial agreement with two of the above listed companies.

Greg Tingle profile on Poynter Online

Best Regards
Greg Tingle
Director
Media Man Australia

Media empire of one - B&T Blog

Media empire of one, by Tony Kelly

Are the owners of major media companies keeping their content providers, sorry journos, happily fettered by protecting them from their real potential?

I wanted to keep the discussion on the future of content going following some intelligent comment on Friday's post about a possible take over of the Fairfax group by rural press. W this is absolutely the case (see W’s comment on Friday’s blog). The big media companies are still the owners of a phenomenal amount of content in their own right and they do still employ some of the country's most prolific journalists, but a lot of journos are starting to get a scent of the new, new economy. If journalists can get their heads around how people are making money this time around and not just leave it up to the sales teams, media strategists or those writing about online business, they can become their own enterprises.

For instance if you can create a blog with a decent following and then learn how to optimise it to make it really interesting to Google, it is possible (and i know this from a real example) to make upwards of 100k US a year and apart from a few well fed veterans on some of the nationals this would seem a pretty attractive salary to most scribes.

However it doesn't have to be a case of f*** you i'm going out on my own. The really smart media companies will deal their journos in and get them excited by this, and, god forbid, profit share them in on the action. Ie say you write a really good blog or produce a great podcast what if you got a cut of the money your company makes on Adsense from this particular part of their content offering? it's just one thought.

If you haven’t watched the epic video yet you really ought to. It is hypothetical big media doomsday scenario, utterly brilliant and its end game is that NY Times and presumable most other major newspaper and media brands close down. In the end, by 2012, you subscribe only to individual editors to get your info as everyone is plugged into a global communications matrix.

Is this the future? Bottom line is exciting rather than scary and you can either get involved, get smart or get out of the way . BTW we haven’t forgotten the RSS feed it’s on the way possibly by week's end thanks for being patient.

Media Man Australia's reply...

Many folks are already building their own "media empires".

At the risk of being censored here (but real examples are required), check out Crikey Media, Craig's List, Margot Kingston's Web Diary (recently went out on her own), AutoBabes, Hottest On TV (http://www.hottestontv.com.au ), BangITUp.com, and my own Media Man Australia website (and blog). Again, sorry about the name drops / plugs, but real examples are required. You will note that all are Google - friendly, and even more powerful, they are also journo, editor and programme director friendly. I had over a dozen "cold" enquiries last week between eds, journos, and potential partners. It's great to see B&T have also caught blog and new media fever.

Best Regards
Greg Tingle
Director
Media Man Australia

Blog Update - Google, Telstra and more

The following was recently posted on the B&T Weekly blog by myself

Having previously worked for Telstra (and Optus Communications), I can tell you that Telstra don't "get it". They are going to be eaten alive on the new media - internet telephony front. Sure, they will pick up some customers, but because they are so slow, and wouldn't know real customer service if it hit them right between the eyes (they hang up on people and there's some incorrect information in their databases), folks are going to mainly go with newer players who deliver on technology, price and customer service. More power to Google. I've seen a lot in my 4 years of running Media Man Australia, and Telstra's going down, and Google's going onward and upward. This should start 'em chatting! PS: how many people read this stuff?

That followed the following comments...

Google’s talking it up so what’s your plan telcos?

Google Talk, plus internet phones, plus broadband delivered through power sockets, is it just me or is anyone else wondering what we’ll need the traditional telcos for in the near future?

I was sitting in an airport lounge reading an article in the Financial Times (Asia) about Google’s foray into communications services with Google Talk and how Google sees communications as its other killer app (along with search of course). The idea among other things is to use an open platform for chat (unlike other instant chat services which you can only use with another user of the same chat service). Google wants everyone chatting with each other.

Add to this the fact that everytime I have frustrating dealings with a traditional telco I fondly remember an article I read months ago about power companies toying with delivering broadband over the electric grid, and you have to wonder how future proof traditional telcos are.

Picture this, I have a broadband connection that is as easy to use as plugging my computer into an electric socket, in any room, I have an Internet phone, and, soon and Internet mobile phone and it’s all charged as the one utility, for instance say I pay one bill for all communications and data services to an electric company and preferably one not addicted to onerous life long “plans” like the telcos do.

I mean truly one bill not a slim discount for having three services with one telco but a fair charge that treats high speed internet and all the associated data and communications services as the utility they are fast becoming.

So what’s your plan?

Best Regards
Greg Tingle
Director
Media Man Australia